BOSTON (AP) - A person familiar with the situation tells The Associated Press that an 8-year-old-boy has been killed in the explosions near the finish line of the Boston Marathon.

Police say three people were killed in the blasts. They provided no details, but someone who spoke to a friend of the family and spoke to the AP on condition of anonymity to protect the family's privacy confirmed that an 8-year-old boy was among the dead.

The person said the boy's mother and sister were also injured as they waited for his father to finish the race.

The explosions injured at least 144 people, 17 critically.

5 NEWS UPDATE:

(CNN) -- Two bombs struck near the finish line of the Boston Marathon on Monday, turning a celebration into a bloody scene of destruction.

The blasts threw people to the ground, killing two and injuring dozens.

The Boston Globe reported that more than 100 people were being treated at area hospitals.

The terrorist attack, near the marathon's finish line, triggered widespread screaming and chaos, shattered windows and barricades and sent smoke billowing into the air at Copley Square.

They were about 50 to 100 yards apart, officials said.

"It felt like a huge cannon," a witness told CNN about one of the blasts.

Photos from the scene showed people being carried away on stretchers. One man in a wheelchair had blood all over his face and legs.

The bombs shook buildings, sending people to seek shelter under tables, witnesses said.

Authorities in Boston found at least one other explosive device that they were dismantling, Boston Police Commissioner Ed Davis said.

Davis said a third blast at the John F. Kennedy Presidential Library was believed to be related to the marathon bombings, but police later said that incident was believed to be fire-related. The library said all staff and visitors are safe.

It was unclear who may have planted the marathon bombs. There were no credible threats before the race, a state government official said.

As authorities searched the scene, numerous suspicious packages were found, possibly because people fled the area, leaving items behind. Investigators were checking them.

The Marriott hotel at Copley Place was evacuated as a precaution.

The Lenox Hotel was also evacuated as a precaution, the Boston Globe reported.

Massachusetts General Hospital said it was treating 22 injured people, six of them in critical condition. Tufts Medical Center reported that it was treating nine people. Brigham and Women's Hospital said it received between 18 and 20 injured. Boston Medical Center reported 20 patients from the marathon, most with lower leg injuries. Combined, that brings the number of injured to as many as 71. There are many other hospitals in the Boston area.

The full number of casualties was not immediately known, Davis said.

Crowds were in the area watching the runners.

"This is a horrific day in Boston," Massachusetts Gov. Deval Patrick said in a statement.

"My thoughts and prayers are with those who have been injured. I have been in touch with the president, Mayor (Thomas) Menino and our public safety leaders. Our focus is on making sure that the area around Copley Square is safe and secured. I am asking everyone to stay away from Copley Square and let the first responders do their jobs."

U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder spoke with FBI Director Robert Mueller and U.S. Attorney Carmen Ortiz, a Justice Department official said.

Holder has directed the full resources of the Justice Department to be deployed to ensure the matter is fully investigated, the official said.

The Federal Aviation Administration placed a flight restriction over the site of the blasts.

Other cities, including New York and Washington, tightened security as a result. Following standard protocol, the White House cleared out an area in front of the West Wing.

"If you see something, say something," Mark Boughton, mayor of Danbury, Connecticut, wrote on Twitter. "All cities will be on a heightened state of alertness per Homeland Security protocols."

Mike Baingon, who works at the Atlantic Fish Company in Boston, said an explosion took place in front of the restaurant and that he was right by the front door at the time.

The explosions occurred at about 2:45 p.m., more than two hours after the first of the race's nearly 27,000 runners had crossed the finish line, CNN Producer Matt Frucci reported.

The race was halted as was subway service into the area.

Runners east of Massachusetts Avenue were directed to Boston Common; those west of Massachusetts Avenue were directed to Kenmore Square, the state's emergency management agency said.

Troops from the Massachusetts National Guard were assisting police as well.

5 NEWS UPDATE:

(CNN) -- Boston police now appear to be backing away from their commissioner's earlier statement that a third incident - at the JFK Library 5 miles from the finish line - might have been related to the Boston Marathon blasts.

BOSTON (AP) -- Boston police say there's been a third explosion in the city, following two blasts near the finish line of the Boston Marathon that killed two people and injured many others.

Police Commissioner Edward Davis says authorities aren't certain that the explosion at the JFK Library was related to the other blasts, but they're treating them as if they are.

David says there are no injuries stemming from the third explosion.

He urged people to stay indoors and not congregate in large groups.

5 NEWS UPDATE:

WASHINGTON (AP) -- A senior U.S. intelligence official says two more explosive devices have been found near the scene of the Boston marathon where two bombs detonated earlier.

The official said the new devices were being dismantled.

It was not immediately clear what kind of devices had been found Monday. The official said the first two did appear to be bombs.

The official spoke on condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to discuss the findings publicly.

The official said it was not clear what the motive was or who may have launched the attack.

5 NEWS UPDATE:

(CBS NEWS) At least two explosions shattered the euphoria of the Boston Marathon finish line on Monday, sending authorities out on the course to carry off the injured while the stragglers in the 26.2-mile trek from Hopkinton were rerouted away from the smoking site of the blasts.

A U.S. official says at least a dozen people were injured with no confirmed fatalities, CBS News correspondent Bob Orr reports.

WBZ-TV says the medical tent near the end of the marathon course has been filled with many people who have been "gravely injured."

Daniel Lampariello, a college student who was at the finish line, told CBSNews.com that people were trampling each other after the pair of explosions.

"It sounded like a large firework or M-80," he said.

Competitors and race organizers were crying as they fled the chaos. Bloody spectators were being carried to the medical tent that had been set up to care for fatigued runners.

"There are a lot of people down," said one man, whose bib No. 17528 identified him as Frank Deruyter of North Carolina. He was not injured, but marathon workers were carrying one woman, who did not appear to be a runner, to the medical area as blood gushed from her leg. A Boston police officer was wheeled from the course with a leg injury that was bleeding.

About three hours after the winners crossed the line, there was a loud explosion on the north side of Boylston Street, just before the photo bridge that marks the finish line. Another thunderous explosion could be heard a few seconds later.

WBZ reports one blast blew out the windows of a Marathon Sports store on Boylston Street.

There were two "incredibly powerful explosions just seconds apart," according to WBZ-TV's Lis Hughes.

Runner Laura McLean of Toronto said she heard two explosions outside the medical tent.

"There are people who are really, really bloody," McLean said. "They were pulling them into the medical tent."

Cherie Falgoust was waiting for her husband, who was running the race.

"I was expecting my husband any minute," she said. "I don't know what this building is ... it just blew. Just a big bomb, a loud boom, and then glass everywhere. Something hit my head. I don't know what it was. I just ducked."

ORIGINAL STORY:

CNN —Two explosions have been reported near the Boston Marathon finish line on Boylston Street as thousands of people gathered for the race, and there are reports of injuries.

The blasts happened at about 2:50 p.m. near the intersection of Boylston and Exeter streets. Witnesses said several victims lost limbs, and the area was being evacuated.

The first explosion happened across from the Lenox Hotel and the second blast was about 15 seconds later, witnesses said.

Many of the injured appeared to be spectators who gathered for the 117th running of the race.

NewsCenter 5's Sean Kelly said the impact of the explosions could be felt blocks away.

The victims were being taken to Massachusetts General Hospital.

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